(Heartfelt thanks to Sui Feng Qi Wu, Shao Feng Ye, Youcai Luobo, and Wei Zhi De Yue Ding for their tips!)
The sharp end of a pitch-black arrow was embedded in the center of the blasted-out crater. Wisps of smoke and dust drifted around it, dispersing in the wind...
Seeing this, everyone present froze in place, unable to react for a while.
"This..." Illya looked utterly bewildered.
"What... what was that?..."
"An arrow..." Mimi, Suzuka, Ryuko, and Nanae stared blankly at the pitch-black arrow on the ground, completely stunned.
"An arrow... was fired at us..."
"It's an attack!" Miyu immediately made her judgment. Her small hand slipped into her schoolbag and gripped Sapphire as she warily looked in one direction.
"The attack came from over there!"
Judging from the base of the arrow where it had landed, it was easy to determine where it had been fired from.
However, when Miyu looked in that direction, there was nothing there. Only a cat climbing onto a rooftop...
At that sight, Miyu's eyes gradually narrowed.
No one would fire arrows for no reason, especially not arrows powerful enough to shatter the ground.
Just now, someone had definitely deliberately fired that arrow at Illya!
And judging from the arrow's destructive power, that person was no ordinary human!
"A mage..." Miyu tightly gripped Sapphire inside her schoolbag.
"M-Miyu..." Illya's mind finally started working again. She walked over to Miyu's side and asked nervously.
"W-What was that?..."
"I don't know..." Miyu answered gravely as she scanned their surroundings.
"But someone definitely wants to attack Illya!"
"Me? Attack me?..." Surprise appeared on Illya's face.
"But I haven't made enemies with anyone..."
"This..." Miyu became uncertain as well. She glanced at Illya, then at the four little girls who were still standing there in a daze, and